Container bracket arrangement



United States Patent [72] Inventor Roy W. Miller Highland, Ind. [21] Appl. No 726,283 [22] Filed May 3, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 15, I970 [73] Assignee Pullman Incorporated Chicago, III. a corporation of Delaware [54} CONTAINER BRACKET ARRANGEMENT 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 105/366, 248/1 19 [51] Int. Cl B65j 1/22, 860p 7/08 [50} Field ofSearch 105/3688, 366; 248/1 19, 361; 296/351 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,321,162 5/1967 Connerat 248/119 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Alt0rneysHilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russell ABSTRACT: A container bracket arrangement for supporting the corners ofa container on the platform ofa vehicle, such as a railway car, wherein the arrangement comprises a plurality of brackets which in a nonuse position are disposed within wells provided in the vehicle floor to present a substantially flush surface with the floor and in an operative position are in engagement with the corner of the container. Each bracket includes linkage mechanism pivotally connected to the vehicle within the well whereby the bracket may be swung from its nonuse position upwardly and moved horizontally to one side of the well whereupon it is supported on the flat surface of the floor, the said linkage mechanism also providing for movement of the bracket into its nonuse position.

PATENTED Him 5 I976 SHEET 2 UP 3 IN VE N TOR ROY W M/LLE BY fl ATT'Y.

PATENTEDBEBI 51m 3547.048

SHEET 3 BF 3 as b W 20 V I\/ I7 I" 1' 52 Q I 26 H 24 y \g Z l| 46 T nll' 4a INVENTOR ROY W MILLER ATT'Y CONTAINER BRACKET ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention This invention relates to container bracket for supporting a cargo container on a flat deck of a vehicle such as a railway flatcar. Such flatcars are of the dual purpose type in that they will support trailers having wheeled suspensions which are driven over the flat surface of the car with the brackets, retained in a nonuse position, the flatcar also being utilized for container transport wherein the containers are supported at their corners by container bracket arrangements.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore various bracket arrangements have been utilized for supporting a cargo container on the-flat floor of a railway ear. Such bracket arrangements have included hinged housings which are swung from underneath the car outwardly and upwardly into position on top the car when the same is utilized for container operation. Other bracket arrangements have been devised which are hingedly mounted on'the floor of the car and so interengagable as to support a container, the brackets being disconnectable whereby they lie flat on the car floor in nonuse position so that the floor is relatively unobstructed when the flatcar is used for trailer-on-flatcar operation. The prior art further comprises various devices including brackets which are recessed in a nonuse position below the floor of the car and which may be swung into operating position wherein they may be supported by suitable bracket means in an operative position over the recesses.

SUMMARY The invention relates to a container bracket arrangement of the type wherein a bracket is recessed within the floor of the car in a nonuse position so as to present a substantially flush surface with the floor of the car. The invention includes a link age arrangement which permits the bracket to be swung upwardly and horizontally or longitudinally of the car in a manner wherein the bracket is supported, not over the recess or well in the floor, but on the floor of the car to one side of the recess, the said floor including structural supporting provisions which accommodate the heavy loads contained within the cargo containers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of a portion of a railway flatcar having a bracket arrangement provided thereon for container operation and including a trailer hitch mechanism for supporting wheeled trailers when the car is used for trailer-on-flatcar operation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a corner bracket on a portion of a railway car floor with the bracket in an erect or use position adapted for engaging the corner of a cargo container;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of a railway flatcar showing a recess or well arrangement including supporting structure with a corner bracket positioned in operative position adapted to engage the corner of a cargo container; 4

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the corner bracket and portion of the railroad car shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIG. 1 a railway flatcar is generally designated by the reference character I0 and includes a flat deck 11 having at its opposite ends couplers 12. FIG. I shows approximately one-half portion of the car and includes a trailer hitch 13 connected to a cushioning device l4 the hitch 13 being utilized when the car 10 is carrying highway trailers thereon. In the position shown in FIG. I the trailer hitch I3 is in a collapsed position but may readily be erected into operative position as is well known in the art. The railway car III also has provided thereon a plurality of container support bracket arrangements 15 each one of which is readily movable from a nonuse position within recesses or wells to provided in the flat deck or car floor ii. The bracket arrangements 15 in their operative position are adapted to engage the four corners of a cargo container A as shown in FIG. 1;

Each bracket arrangement 15 comprises a housing 17 having first and second parallel walls 18 and 19. A third wall 20 is suitably connected by welding or other means to the upper two ends of the walls 18 and 19 and extends substantially normally with respect to said walls. A fourth wall 21 extends normal to the third wall 20 is suitably connected thereto and includes a projecting wall portion 23 which in the operative position of the bracket arrangement 15 extends upwardly with respect to the wall 20 for suitably engaging the corner of the cargo container A. In the upright operative position of the bracket arrangement 15, as shown in FIG. 2, the. first and second walls 18 and 19 extend in upright manner, the wall 2%) extends horizontally and the wall 21 extends upwardly in normal relation relative to the wall 20. The structure of the housing 17 is in the form of a weldment and thus the parts may all be suitably welded together such connection not being shown in every detail. The housing further includes a flat horizontal base 24 having at one end as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 a curved or hook-shaped abutment element 25. A vertical gusset 22 as shown in FIG. 2 is disposed between walls 18 and I9 and is suitably connected to the wall 20 and base 24 to provide a rigid support for the said wall 20.

The housing further comprises a wall 26 which in the operative position of the bracket arrangement 15 extends vertically as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 the said wall 26 being suitably connected to the first and second walls 13 and 19 and third wall 20 and includes a lower flange 27 which is connected to the hook 25. The third wall 26, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 has supported thereon a vertical bracket 28 having at its upper end an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange 29. A latch support 30 is suitably connected to the flange 29 and to the wall 20 for supporting a latch element 31. The latch element 31 comprises a handle 32 connected to rotate a rod 33 within an opening 34 Provided in the latch support 30. The latch support 30 is provided with a vertically extending elongated slot 35 as shown in FIG. 3. An enlarged cylindrical latching element 36 is integrally connected to the rod 33 and is rotatable therewith. The latching element 36 is movable through an elongated slot 37 best shown in FIGS. 3 and i. A stop element or plate 38 projects radially outwardly from the rod 33 the same being movable into aligned position with respect to the slot 35 when it is desired to move the element 36 outwardly from the position shown in FIG. 4 which is the nonengaging position of said latch element 31. In the position shown in FIG. 4 the latch element 31 is in the corner engaging position wherein the element 36 engages the corner bracket of a con tainer A. In this position the stop 38 is confined between the bracket 28 and the latch support 30 so that the latch element 31 is maintained in locking engagement relative to the corner bracket of the container.

The housing I7 is also provided with guide wedges 39 as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 which are suitably tapered and are supported on the wall 20 whereby a container which may be crane loaded can be guided into position wherein its corners are supported on the wall 20 of the bracket arrangement.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4 each recess or well 16 in the car floor ll. comprises a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical members 40 extending longitudinally and being suitably connected in box section manner to a bottom plate 4! and a transverse wall 42. The other end of the recess 16 opposite the end wall 42 is provided with a structural support generally designated at 43 which is disposed below the deck II. The structural support 43 comprises a vertical transversely extending wall 44 suitably connected to the walls 40. A second transverse wall 45 horizontally spaced from the wall 44, and being disposed within the recess 16, is suitably connected to the vertical members 40 and has supported thereon at its upper end a shear plate 46 also suitably connected to the wall 44. The shear plate 46 has a projecting end abutment 46 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. As best shown in FIG. 7 the walls 18 and 19 are also provided at one end with inwardly bent vertically extending flanges 47. The flanges 47 serve to further stiffen the sidewalls 18 and 19 which do not extend into connecting relation with respect to the wall 21. In this manner a relatively light yet strong bracket arrangement is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3 in the broken line position the bracket arrangement 15 is disposed in a recessed position. in the recessed position the end of the wall 21 is supported on vertically extending stops 47 best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the said stops being provided within the recess 16. In this recessed position the wall 21 is substantially flush with the floor 11 of the railway car so that the same may be utilized for trailer-onflatcar operation without presenting any obstruction to the wheels ofthe trailers.

In order to remove the bracket arrangements 15 to their operative position a linkage mechanism generally designated at 48 is provided. The linkage mechanism 48 comprises a pair of parallel links 49 which are provided at their upper ends in the operative position with spacer sleeves 50, at the end of each link 49 also being provided with a bore 51 through which a pivot rod 52 extends. The pivot rod 52 extends through openings 53 provided in the walls 18 and 19 and vertical gusset wall 22 as best shown in FIG. 5. The pivot rod 52 is locked in position by suitable cotter keys 54. The lower ends of the parallel links 59 have connected thereto spacer sleeves 55;

Short pivot rods 56 are suitably welded to bosses 57 carried on the walls 40 the said pivot rods 56 extending through the walls 40 and projecting through bores 58 provided in the lower ends of the links 49 and spacer sleeves 55. Cotter keys 59 connect the lower ends of the parallel links 49 to the rods 56 in pivotal relation.

THE OPERATION During use of the railway car for trailer-on-flatcar operation the bracket arrangements are disposed within the wells 16 as shown in the broken line position of FIG. 3. In this position the walls 21 are substantially flush with the floor of the car to permit unimpeded movement of the trailer wheels on the car floor. In the event that the railway car is utilized for container-on-flatcar operation the container brackets 15 are placed in an operative position projecting upwardly from the car floor. The bracket arrangements are lifted manually upwardly from the recessed position shown in FIG. 3 and the parallel linkage 49 is arranged so that the bracket in movement to its upright position moves upwardly and substantially horizontally or longitudinally with respect to the car so that in its rest position as shown in FIG. 3 it is positioned on the floor 11 to one side of the recess 16. The bracket 15 is now supported on the structural support 43 disposed beneath the car floor 11. This support provides for the required structure to support the heavily loaded cargo containers. Thus the vertical loads are not taken in any of the pivotal connections of the links 49 and are absorbed completely by the structural support 43. This provides a structure which will carry the heaviest of loadings, and the parallel linkage structure 48 will be maintenance free throughout the life of the brackets since the only loads the linkage will carry are those of the bracket itself in moving the same from the recessed position to its upright position or vice versa. The linkage structure 48 also serves to support the bracket 15 in its nonuse position. In the upright posi- Another important feature of the invention is the shear plate 46 which also performs the function of restraining movement of the brackets 15 in a horizontal direction during impacting of the railroad car or during sudden braking conditions. The projecting portion 46 of the shear plate 46 is engaged by the hook-shaped abutment 2 5 as best shown in FIG. 6 so that movement of the bracket 1-5'horizontally to the left as shown in FIG. 6 is prevented. Thus the brackets 15 at one end of the container are prevented frontmoving in a first horizontal direction and the brackets 15 on the other end of the container are held against movement in the opposite direction by means of the hooks 25 and the projections 46 of the bracket arrangements.

I claim:

1. In a railroad vehicle, a container bracket arrangement for supporting the corner of a container on the platform of the vehicle, said platform having a recess therein, comprising:

a housing including transversely spaced first and second walls;

a third wall extending normally relative to and being sup ported by said first and "second walls for supporting the corner of a container;

a fourth wall on said housing having a portion projecting substantially in normal relation relative to said third wall to provide means for engaging a container to restrain the same against horizontal displacement;

a container-retaining latch supported on said housing;

means movably supporting said housing on said vehicle where in one position said housing is disposed within said recess and said fourth wall is substantially flush with said platform, and in a second position said housing is supported on and above said platform to one side of said recess with said second and fourth walls extending vertically;

said movable means including link means pivotally connected at one of its ends to said housing and in said second position projecting from above said platform into said recess;

means pivotally connecting the other end of said link means to said vehicle below said platform whereby said housing is moved pivotally and horizontally relative to said platform between said first and second positions;

said vehicle including structural support means disposed below said platform to one side of said recess for supporting said housing and a container supported thereon;

said structural support means including a shear plate disposed adjacent to said recess;

said housing including an abutment which, in said second position of said housing, engages said shear plate to support said housing against longitudinal forces transmitted from a container carried by said housing;

said abutment including a horizontal fifth wall connecting said first and second walls and providing a base for said housing; and

said abutment being hook-shaped and projecting into said recess and engaging an edge of said shear plate.

2. The invention according to claim 1, and said link means 7 comprising a pair of laterally spaced pivot arms extending diagonally upwardly toward the bracket support member in the upright position and away from the well for longitudinal shifting of the bracket support member relative to the vehicle and permitting pivoting of the bracket support member in shifting the bracket support member from the upright position to the below-deck position whereupon the pivot arms lift and support the bracket support member between upright and below-deck positions.

3. A railroad flatcar adapted to support containers or the like thereon comprising:

a generally fiat deck;

a plurality of pivotally mounted container corner bracket support members adapted to support a container thereon at its corners;

each container corner bracket support member having adjacent thereto an in-deck well for receiving a respective support member below the deck;

upper pivot link means being fixedly connected with the bracket support member and extending vertically above the deck in the upright position of the bracket support member and vertically extending below the deck and con necting with the car below the deck in the upright position of the bracket support member;

lower pivot means on the lower ends of the link means being mounted below the deck pivoting the link means with respect to the car and upper pivot means at the upper ends of the link means connecting with the bracket support member pivoting the bracket support member with respect to the link means;

said pivot link means supporting the corner bracket support member in the stored below-deck position and guiding the bracket support member to pivot and horizontally shift the support member into the upright, in-use position and providing stability in the upright, in-use position;

an upright container bracket support wall means having a fiat surface which is generally flush with the deck upon pivotal movement of the support member from the upright position to the below-deck storing position within the well,

said support member having a base portion for supporting the bracket support member on the deck; and

said base portion including an end portion adjacent the lower pivot means and said deck adjacent each well having bracket support structure adapted for engagement with the end portion to limit movement of the bracket support member.

4. The invention according to claim 3, and:

said bracket support structure having a shear plate and said bracket support member being a housing, said end portion including an abutment which, in said upright position of said housing, engages said shear plate to support said housing against longitudinal forces transmitted from a container carried by said housing;

said abutment including a horizontal fifth wall connecting said first and second walls; and

said abutment being hook-shaped and projecting into said recess and engaging an edge of said shear plate.

5; The invention according to claim 3, and said link means and permitting pivoting of the bracket support member in shifting the bracket support member from the upright position to the below-deck position whereupon the pivot arms lift and support the bracket support member between upright below-deck positions. 

